


References and Parallels

by BlackRook



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-02
Updated: 2012-06-02
Packaged: 2017-11-06 15:57:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/420671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackRook/pseuds/BlackRook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve starts catching up on things he missed. 'The Lord of the Rings' might be a good choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	References and Parallels

Steve is more or less used to letting cultural references just flow over his head, but this time he pays attention, because it’s sort of an important conversation – he is apologizing to Stark for the words said earlier on the Helicarrier. Stark is being less of a… Stark than usual, and half accepts, half waves it off.

“I, too, said something I probably shouldn’t,” he says. “It’s all the Scepter’s fault anyway. The One Ring at work and all that. ”

“One Ring?”

For a moment, Tony gets that annoying ‘oh right, Man Out of Time’ expression on his face, than says: “It’s from a book.”

Steve takes a deep breath, lets it out and asks, before he’ll think better of it: “Which one?”  
After all, he needs to catch up on modern culture, at least a little, and he might as well start with something important for his teammates. Good for mutual understanding, team dynamics and all that.

Tony stares at him for a while, then turns on his heels and with abrupt ‘follow me’ gesture strides away. Steve follows. Couple of strange rooms later, they are in a library of sorts, and Tony demands impatiently:  
“JARVIS?”

“Right bookcase, third shelf from the top, sir,” the voice answers. Tony follows directions, takes something from the said shelf and shoves it into Steve’s hands. It’s an actual book, not something electronic; actually, it’s a set of three paperbacks in a box. Steve notes the author and the title (J.R.R. Tolkien, ‘The Lord of the Rings’) and tries to give it back, but Tony shakes his head.

“Keep it, Rogers. You’ll like it, a good old fairy tale about good versus evil, and I have enough copies here.”

First thing Steve checks, it’s a first publication date. It’s middle of the 50s, so he can at least hope to understand the book without an illustrated dictionary (though Stark called it fairy tale, but still). There are quotes from New York Times on the box, saying things like ‘golden classics of English literature’, ‘pioneer work in new genre’ and such. So it’s probably a good choice for ‘what to read if you missed 70 years’ list. There is also a brief biography of the author, and Steve learns that Mr. Tolkien was an English Professor in Oxford (well, so he might need a dictionary after all) and WWI veteran. That’s the final argument – Steve packs the books and takes them with him once he gets on his bike and rides away to know his city and his country anew.

The book is written by a man who saw two Great Wars, and for Steve the War is still a reality, so all the parallels are transparent. The Enemy, the Allies, who are far from flawless and have enough conflicts between themselves… The similarities to his most recent battle are also obvious. By the middle of the first book Steve wholeheartedly agrees with Stark’s metaphor about One Ring; by the middle of the second one he starts thinking of Saruman as a version of Loki, and orcs as version of Chitauri, and the other way round.

The book doesn’t end once the Enemy is defeated, and in Steve’s mind it makes ‘The Lord of the Rings’ much more than a ‘good old fairy tale’. The real ending is bittersweet and painfully honest. _‘I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me.’_ A feeling Captain America can understand perfectly.

As he gathers – mostly from people who started conversations with him when he sat reading in a café or on a park bench somewhere – the book is widely known and liked, there was even a movie recently. It warms him, because it’s a good book with right message, and if people like it and believe it, than the world couldn’t change all that much.

Next time the S.H.I.E.L.D. needs their help, it’s a domestic problem (no aliens, Gods or not) and they actually have an opportunity to make a plan _before_ the battle. There are four of them this time, because Thor isn’t on Earth and Dr. Banner is back in New York, sitting this one out for various reasons. The plan is finalized, and they have some minutes to spare; and since words like ‘remember the last time’ were mentioned, and Stark is using Legolas instead of Hawkeye, Steve gives into temptation.

“One more thing, Stark,” he says. “Try not to pull a Frodo this time.”

“Frodo?”

It’s nice to see that confused expression on the face of someone else, for a change. “Yes, Frodo. Throwing the Ring into Orodruin is a good way to win the battle, but Dr. Banner or Thor aren’t here today to play the Eagles and catch you.”

Stunned silence, and then Stark laughs out loud. “Got it, Cap. No self-sacrificing play today. But we are so having a movie marathon tomorrow!”


End file.
